western australia - redcap70.net newsletter march 2010.pdfcoming visitors rab & jenny peattie...

Editors Comments

Imminent fixtures should herald the start of the year proper with the picnic and

the Anzac Day festivities in a

few weeks.

Rally round members and make the occasions one to

remember.

I suppose now is the time to ask members to put forward

articles for the “Newsletter”.

No matter how big or small, by email, snail mail or the old

fashioned telephone.

All articles gladly accepted.

If you are not sure about

what format to do it in,

Please ring me.

The Editor

Help for Heroes picnic 2009

REDCAPS WESTERN AUSTRALIA

OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF RMPA WESTERN AUSTRALIA BRANCH


Official Newsletter of

RMPA Western Australia Branch

Jan. Feb. Mar.

2010

Volume 5

Issue 1

POINTS OF INTEREST

♦ CHAIRMANS CORNER

♦ UK REPORT

♦ HONG KONG

♦ CONNECTION..KOREAN

VETS AND DUBAI

♦ LETTER TO THE EDITOR

♦ MEMBERS PICS

♦ CMP AT SEA?

♦ MONOPOLY?

♦ NEW MEMBERS

EXEMPLO DUCEMUS

Help for Heroes picnic 2010

The RMPA family fun day and BBQ fundraiser in support of the 'Help for Heroes' cause championed by Major (Ret'd) Phil Packer RMP will commence at Shelter 'C' at Whiteman Park 11.30 am

Sunday 28th March 2010.

Highlights include the

'Redcaps International Cricket Challenge' (England v Australia)'

this year for the coveted "silver plate" trophy.

See you there!!!

This picture was taken at the 2009 picnic attended by RMPA

Western Australia Branch partners and families.

With Members and families of the RACMP

If you don't see your picture here, make sure you are on the one

that’s being taken on our next picnic below.



The Chairman’s Corner

Dear members

It seems that 2009 is all but a distant memory as w e are looking towards the end of the first quarter of 2010. The news of our branch is g radually extending far and wide where the last four new members have all joined from outs ide Western Australia. Since the last newsletter, I have been pleased to extend a chairma n’s welcome to Michael Holt from New Zealand, Ron Lill from South Australia, George Wood all from the UK, and to our latest member, Ian Dixon from Queensland.

For those members interested in RMP / RMPA historic al information, nostalgia and review-ing old squad photographs, there is no better place to go than Ian Dixon’s excellent web-site at

http://www.redcap70.net/ I would wholeheartedly recommend members visit I an’s web-site, and if you can contribute photos or stories, I am sure Ian will be happy to hear from you.

The RMPA Western Australia Branch 2010 family fun d ay and fundraiser for ‘Help the He-roes’ is just about on us. Make a note in your dia ry for midday Sunday 28 th March at Whiteman Park, so bring your family and friends and give your support for this important day. Kerry Meacher, Steve O’Connor and John Elson have worked hard to organise the day and I would like to see a great turnout to rewa rd their efforts. Don’t forget to let Eric Heath know if you are able to donate a prize for th e raffle. The coveted Redcaps Interna-tional cricket plate is up for grabs and I would ho pe RMPA can round off a successful day, win the match convincingly and have our photo in th e RMP Journal.

We are also steadily moving towards ANZAC Day on 25 th April and this year we will be wel-coming visitors Rab & Jenny Peattie from RMPA in UK and members Bryan & Sheila Louks from Queensland in joining with us on the par ade and at lunch afterwards. Please make our guests welcome to our lovely part of Austr alia.

As I mentioned in the last newsletter, I encourage members, on a structured and rotating basis, to bring a guest or two to one of future reg ular lunches. This is intended to further stimulate variety in our branch activities and crea te an interesting adjunct to our meet-ings. A special thank you goes to Gordon Parke for arranging guests at both the Decem-ber and February luncheons. Eric Heath will be coo rdinating all arrangements for guests attending; so if you would like to invite guests, p lease contact Eric first.

In conclusion, I ask that you all to support your b ranch’s activities as a vibrant branch can only be reflective of the effort s and interest of its members.

Thankyou and kind regards…………..

Brian Griffiths



“Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives…

You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country , therefore rest in peace.

There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side.

Here in this country of ours… You, the mothers,

who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears.

Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace.

After having lost their lives on this land they hav e become our sons as well.”

Mustafa Kemal ATATURK

ANZAC Memorial, 1934.

Our confirmed overseas visitors are: Rab and Jenny Peattie from RMPA UK.

Rab and Jenny will be visiting WA for a couple of weeks over the ANZAC Day period. Early members of our Branch may recall that Rab was previously Chairman of RMPA Gloucester

Branch and had provided valued support to establish RMPA in Western Australia.

Our confirmed interstate visitors are: Bryan and Sheila Louks from Queensland.

2010 Anzac Day parade & RMPA lunch: Sunday 25th April 2010.

The RMPA marching contingent is to form up at 09:30 am Sunday 25 April 2010

and will again parade at the front of the British Ex-Service's Association

(BESA) on St Georges Terrace, Perth. This year BESA again expect to form up

just behind the New Zealand Forces Association. Please make a note on your

calendar and check the local newspaper nearer the time for confirmation of

parading arrangements.

Dress for the parade is either suits or the accepted jacket & tie standard

with red berets and medals to be worn.

This year we will be welcoming RMPA visitors from the UK and interstate who

will join us in the parade and the RMPA lunch afterwards.

We look forward to affording all our visitors a warm welcome to our group on

the day.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



NEWS FROM OUR ROVING REPORTER IN

THE UK

S green shoots appear in our gardens we can look forward to longer, brighter days and a lot more solar stimulation for our tired bodies and

to produce that much needed vitamin D, which you are fortunate to enjoy all

year round.

Easter is just around the corner and already the flowers along the roadsides are beginning to appear. What I love about Britain that flies proudly under a banner of things that are a joy for ever: ancient houses, lovely well matured gardens, heroic people our Royal family, history and those beautiful Victorian buildings

that are the pride of our Capital.

Yet, we have just experienced the coldest winter for more than 30 years, which at my age penetrates to the very last bone. There is no incentive for the great outdoors and the heating bills seem to have soared through the roof. To crown it all, we decided to replace our central heating boiler (A government grant of £400 was the incentive); the floor boards were torn up, new pipes installed and in the interim, we froze for three days. I have never experienced hyperthermia; it felt close to it nevertheless! Why is it that plumbers never seem to feel the cold? always leaving the doors wide open in sub zero temperatures. At the end

of the day, it was worth it the house is now nice and warm.

Reading in the Journal the other day, I noted the Provost Marshal (Army) had decided to re-introduce a commendation in recognition of outstanding achieve-ments of members of Provost Branches not commended elsewhere. Well done Brigadier! THANK YOU is two words not often included in many vocabularies

and surely welcomed by all RMP persons.

Sadly the closure of Rochester Row in London, the former home of London District Provost Company is regretted; its location in central London will be missed. I can recall, during the 50th Anniversary of the Korean War commemo-rations, proudly joining serving members of this Provost Company protecting VIP’s on Horse Guards Parade Ground and afterwards in the famous Welling-

ton Room post parade. One never forgets these events.

A

Quotes:

“The happiest time of life is between seventy and eighty,

and I advise everyone to hurry up and get there as soon as

possible”

“You know you are getting old when the candles cost more

than the cake”

“Do not adultery commit?

Advantage rarely comes of it”

Peter Poole March 2010



1500'S.............. The Old Days!!! The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be.

Here are some interesting facts about the 1500's: Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odour. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married… Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the other children, last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water..." Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and off the roof. Hence the saying "It's raining cats and dogs..." There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top offered some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence. The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying "dirt poor." The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on the floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until when you opened the door it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entranceway. Hence the saying a "thresh hold." In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme, "Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old." Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could "bring home the bacon." They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and "chew the fat.." Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous. Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or "upper crust." Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait to see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a "wake." England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a "bone-house" and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying peo-ple alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the "graveyard shift") to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be "saved by the bell" or was considered a "dead ringer." And that's the truth.. Now, whoever said that History was boring! ! !



Hong KongHong KongHong KongHong Kong

The following article is from a newsletter published by the

The Hong Kong Society of Wargamers.

This article should be of interest to members who have served in Hong Kong.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

This issue's blast from the past first appeared in issue 45 of Despatches, way back in 1984. I make no excuse for choosing one of my own earlier literary efforts, after all that's surely an Editor's prerogative, the subject does however appear apposite as this Christmas marks the

55th anniversary of:

The Fall of Hong Kong

Christmas 1941 by Andrzej Cierpicki

“This is all wrong”, minuted Churchill on 7th January, 1941, after reading telegrams from the Commander -in-Chief, Far East, urging the reinforcement of Hong Kong. “If Japan goes to war there is not the slight-est chance of holding Hong Kong or relieving it. It is most unwise to increase the loss we shall suffer there. Instead of increasing the garrison it ought to be reduced. Japan will think twice before declaring war on the British Empire, and whether there are two or six battalions at Hong Kong will make no differ-ence. I wish we had fewer troops there, but to move any would be noticeable and dangerous.” How then did Churchill allow himself to be persuaded against his better judgement? The reasons are somewhat complex and due to political pressures, as much as anything else. It is easy to be critical in hind-sight but then, as now, not many people were concerned about the adequacy of the defence of Hong Kong, after all Japan had been an ally during WWI and had only recently been recognised as a potential foe. The Admiralty wished at least to deny its facilities to the enemy and the chiefs of staff recommended that since Hong Kong could neither be relieved nor withstand a long siege it should be considered as an outpost, to be held as long as possible. So Churchill was forced to bow to political pressure and to the urgings of his ad-visors, the garrison would be increased. At the time of writing his minute there were actually four battal-ions stationed in Hong Kong, with the arrival of the Canadians, in November, this number was increased to six. These reinforcements were effectively good money thrown after bad, the outcome was never in doubt. The commander of the 10,000 - strong garrison was Major-General Christopher M Maltby, a thoroughly 50 year old Indian Army Officer who was under no false illusions as to either the magnitude of his task, or the inadequacy of his resources. In the three months of his tenure he set about revitalising the colony’s prepar-edness as best he could, it was a question of too little, too late.

Maltby’s task was to hold Hong Kong for as long as possible so as to deny the harbour to the Japanese. To do this he formed a 2,000 - strong Mainland Brigade of three battalions; the 2nd Royal Scots, 2/14th Punjabis and the 5/7th Rajputs, supported by two batteries of the Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery and an Indian Army regiment containing a number of locally enlisted Chinese. As the Sham Chun River line was considered too long to be adequately defended by such a small force and could easily be outflanked by landings from the sea, a shorter one across the neck of Kowloon was adopted. This was known as the Gindrinkers’ Line after the bay on which its left flank rested, and was about eleven miles long (refer to map on following page).



The defence of the island was given to what was known as the Island Brigade which consisted of the two Canadian battalions, the Winnipeg Grenadiers and the Royal Rifles, together the 1st Middlesex regiment supported by an MG battalion whose primary task was to hold the pillboxes on the islands perimeter, and finally, by the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Force consisting of some 2,000 Europeans and Eurasians of greatly varying

The fact that war had begun was made patently clear at 0800 on December the 8th, when 36 Japanese fighters swooped out of a clear blue sky and struck Kai Tak airfield and seaplane moorings; all five out-dated RAF (three Vickers Wildebeeste torpedo-bombers and two Supermarine Walrus flying-boats) and a number of civilian aircraft were left burning and the airfield as badly damaged. At the same time, 12 more aircraft bombed Island Brigade HQ and strafed troops on the mainland but with little ef-fect. Meanwhile, Major General Takeo Ito, commander of the Japanese 38th Division, was watching his troops; the 228th, 229th and 230th regiments supported by three battalions of mountain artillery, pour across the Sham Chun River on a wide front. The British sappers were prepared however, within thirty minutes all road and rail bridges across the frontier were down. The engineers began pulling back under covering fire from ‘C’ company of the 2/14 Punjabis who didn’t take too kindly to wet-nursing sappers and withdrawing (retreating as far as they were concerned). They soon had an opportunity to salvage some of their pride. Concealing themselves on the outskirts of Tai Po the Punjabis awaited the arrival of the Japanese along the route just taken by themselves. They did not have long to wait before a column of infantry and a mule battery of artillery came into view. The Japanese paid a terrible price for their over-confidence when caught in the murderous fire that followed. This and similar incidents acted as a tonic to the defenders, but did little to check the advancing enemy, who, by sunset on the 9th of December, had penetrated 10-12 miles into the colony and had closed with the main British positions.

Major-General Maltby (left) GOC HK talking to Brigadier Lawson CO of the Canadian Forces Though his troops were extended, Brigadier Wallis, commander of the Mainland Brigade hoped to hold Gindrinker’s Line for at least a week. In the event, it held out for one night. Shortly before midnight Colonel Doi’s 228th regiment attacked the key to the western sector, the Shing Mun Redoubt. The pla-toon of Royal Scots holding it were completely overrun and at dawn, a counter-attack was considered impracticable and the remaining two forward companies were forced to fall back on Golden Hill about 2,000 yards to the rear. In the early hours of the 11th the Japanese again attacked and by 0700 Golden Hill was in their hands, not for long however, as a determined counter attack by ‘D’ company regained possession of the disputed hill. But in the end, the Royal Scots were driven back by repeated Japanese counter-attacks until Golden Hill was seized again, and with it Gindrinker’s Line was finally and fatally breached. Kowloon was forced to be abandoned, oil supplies were destroyed, the dockyard demolished, and merchant vessels scuttled before the rearguard fought their way through advanced Japanese patrols, looters and fifth columnists to board the last ferry.



The last to leave the Kowloon peninsula were the Rajputs who, before they were evacuated on the 13th of December, repulsed a determined Japanese attack on Devil’s Peak. The remainder of the covering force was successfully evacuated in broad daylight by the ancient 905-ton destroyer Thracian and almost the entire battalion was reassembled by noon. The final act was about to begin. After several days of artillery and air bombardment which played havoc with the road system, interfered with telephone communications and knocked out half the pillboxes on the northern shore, six battalions of the Japanese 38th Division began their landings from North Point to Aldrich Bay under the cover of darkness on the night of the 18th of December. By dawn they were in possession of the three peaks of Mt. Parker, Mt. Butler and Jardine’s Lookout and moving on to Wong Nei Chong Gap. Worried at the danger of the island’s defences being cut in two, Maltby tried to stabilise the position by vigorously coun-tering the Japanese thrust towards Repulse Bay. With dwindling resources this simply was not possible and Maltby reluctantly agreed to the advice of his subordinates and withdrew his forces on the East of the island towards the Stanley peninsula from which it was hoped a counter-attack could be mounted once the remaining forces had time to reorganise. Meanwhile, in the west of the island a small Canadian force was organised consisting of three platoons of the Winnipeg Grenadiers, whose task was to secure the important Wong Nei Chong Gap. They were too late, the 228th Regiment was already on the ground and in greater strength and the Canadians only suc-ceeded in securing and then holding Mt. Butler for a few hours. In the final endeavour to secure the Wong Nei Chong Gap reserves were scraped-up from every quarter and at least seven different units were involved. What occurred in the many fragmented and piecemeal encounters that flared-up and died around the contested gap will never be fully recorded. In the end however, the Japanese maintained con-trol. For six days more, fierce and continuous fighting of a similar nature was pursued throughout the centre and eastern part of the island. The end came almost suddenly late on Christmas Day. Having re-jected yet another surrender ultimatum in the morning, the situation deteriorated rapidly when the fight-ing was renewed. General Maltby decided that further resistance would entail the useless slaughter of his remaining troops without affecting the inevitable outcome.

The victory march through Hong Kong



Following Maltby’s decision the formal surrender took place at 1800 and the 6500 survivors were lead off into captivity, during which thousands were to die. Their resistance had not been entirely in vain, for seventeen days they had deflected the Japanese troops, aircraft and shipping from more important objec-tives. Winston Churchill’s message on 21st December ended: “Everyday that you are able to maintain your resistance, you help the Allied cause all over the world”.

Group portrait of some of the victors taken at Whampoa dockyard in 1942

Acknowledgements to The Society of Hong Kong Wargamers and to the editor of the newsletter Andrzej Cierpicki for permission to print the article.

Special acknowledgements to our member Bill Grieves for, his guidance.

The Hong Kong Garrison includes elements of the People's Liberation Army Ground

Force, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of

the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military Region.

While performing its defence duties, the Hong Kong Garrison must abide by both national and Hong Kong laws, as well as the current rules and regulations of the PLA. After its entry into Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Garrison abide by the Basic Law and the Garrison Law, actively organising military training. According to the Garrison Law, the Garrison established working contacts with the Hong Kong Government, and opened the barracks on Stonecutters Island and

Chek Chu to the public to promote Hong Kongers' understanding of and trust in the garrison troops.

Reprinted from Wikapedia.

The Hong Kong Garrison Today



Korean War Veteran

An Independent Newsletter Dedicated to

the Sacrifice and Indomitable Spirit

of Veterans of the Korean War

January 6, 2010

How things have changed since the Korean War Korean construction company built Burj Dubai Tower, tallest in world

The Burj Dubai Tower was officially opened in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates this week, with great fan-fare. News stories were telecast and published all

around the world.

The facts were plentiful; a height of some 820 meters (2,700 feet), the tower containing shopping centres,

theatres, condominiums, a hotel… the details went on.

But nothing was said about the construction company that spent the past five years building it – the Samsung Engineering and Construction Co. unit of Samsung

C and T of Korea.

In the year 2010 when Korea seeks to establish its “brand” around the world as a leader in technolo-gies, industry, ecology, medicine, the humanities, little has been done to promote Korea’s role in

this vast construction undertaking… or in others.

Maybe that’s because Samsung Engineering and Korea’s other huge construction firms have oper-ated globally without fanfare for decades. Yet they have been vitally involved in some of the biggest

projects the world has ever seen.

(Eventually this column touches on Korean War Veterans, so read on)

The Petronas Towers have been featured in major motion pictures, and in advertisements, travelogues, telecasts, magazine and newspa-

per articles.

The Petronas Towers constituted the highest buildings in the world

from the time they opened in 1998 until 2004.

Then they were surpassed by the much acclaimed Taipei 101, the 510-meter high (1,673 feet) tower located in the Xinyi District in

Taipei, the capital of Taiwan.

Again, Samsung Engineering and Construction of Korea was princi-

pal contractor and project manager.

In Korea itself construction began on the DMC Landmark Tower in Seoul’s Media City district in October, 2009. Again, Samsung C and T’s engineering and construction wing is the primary contractor and

developer.

“DMC” stands for Digital Media City, the name of a vast digital-related research and educational complex on the western side of

Seoul, not far from the Han River.



The 640-meter (2,100 feet) Tower is planned for completion in 2015. It will stand on the route into Seoul from the Incheon International Air-port, showcasing the nation as one that is buttressed with the most pro-

gressive technology in the world.

This project has been personally supported and driven by the Mayor of

Seoul, Oh Se-Hoon.

These are just some examples of the great spires rising in Asia and else-

where that rely upon Korean talent and know-how.

If you see an article about such a behemoth high-rise going up virtually anywhere, chances are that research will show Korean engineers, entre-

preneurs and financiers are heavily involved.

Just days before the opening of the Burj Dubai Towers in Dubai, Korea Electric Power Co. (KEPCO), a state-owned utility, led a Korean consor-tium that was awarded a $40 billion (US) contract – read 'B' for billion – to design, construct and operate four nuclear power plants for the same

United Arab Emirates.

(We'll get to the Korean War Veterans very soon, read on)

KEPCO partners include Samsung C and T, Hyundai Engineering and Construction, Doosan Heavy

Industries and other Korean companies.

The partners competed against consortiums of the largest, best known electrical equipment com-

panies and nuclear engineering specialists in the world.

Winning the huge prize was a feat that attests not just to the technical competence and track record of the Ko-rean firms, but to out-

standing business acumen.

The Koreans out-dealt, out-manoeuvred, out-marketed some of the most brilliant advertisers and deal makers in the world. They have been doing it for decades,

without fanfare.

The president of Korea, Lee Myung-bak at one time was president of Hyundai Engineering and

Construction, one of the partners in the KEPCO consortium that won the colossal new business.

As President of Korea, he worked very hard trying to help win the project. He called the contract award a great gift from the Lord, which comes at a time following a global recession that has hit

Korea hard.

Hyundai Engineering and Construction also has worked on some of the world’s outstanding indus-trial projects. In recent years the huge firm has built marine terminals, electric power plants, gas

processing plants in many nations around the world.

These are not small programs but often involve colossal facilities such as an entire petroleum proc-

essing and refinery complex, including the docks and terminal structures for incoming ships.



Veterans who return to Korea next year – at least 2,400 of them – to participate in ceremonies and events that com-memorate the 60th anniversary of the start of the Korean War will be longing nostalgically for the strange land that cap-

tured their lives so long ago… and has never left them.

Amazingly, the spirit of the people and those times is still there, and flourishes. The Veterans will not want for recon-

necting with their past.

Yet they should also realize the absolutely superb steps – not steps, but great leaps! – taken by this nation they fought for so

long ago.

Compared against any other nation in the world Korea is at the forefront in all technologies, sci-

ence, medicine, the arts.

It is also in the fore in the way it treats, respects and welcomes the Veterans from nations that supported the impoverished, nearly crushed

country during the years of the Korean War.

In treatment and respect for the Veterans who fought to bring freedom to their homeland soil, the Koreans are without peer in this entire world. No other nation does as much to pay homage to

those who fought to bring them freedom.

There has been turmoil in the past 60 years, there have been recriminations, there have been

periods of great unrest, but there always has been forward and upward progress.

Could you imagine, cold and shivering in a trench in a war year, or sweating and being stung by mosquitos on a hot, dangerous night, that Korean technology would place the spires on the tallest

buildings in the world?

Back then we thought of the Empire State Building in New York City as the pinnacle of the

“modern era.”

The Burj Dubai Tower that opened this week in Dubai, built by Korean engineers and specialists, is

roughly two times as high as the Empire State Building.

The tower, and all of the other towers Korean engineers and specialist workers have been involved

with, are, in their way, monuments to all who served in Korea during the war.

Sure, they attest to the near incredible resiliency and hard work ethic of the Korean people.

Yet without those who served helping to make and keep South Korea free, none of these amazing

achievements would have been possible.

The Korean Government and the Korean people know this. And that is why they welcome Korean War Veter-

ans back to Korea every year.

And why the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs and the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War Com-memoration Committee headed by Prime Minister

Chung Un-chan and former Prime Minister Lee Hong-gu are working so hard to make 2010 an especially memo-rable year for all of the world’s Veterans who fought in

Korea, six decades ago.



Some might think it a stretch to say (but not those who fought in Korea) that when one of the great towers is seen, in person, or in a photograph or on a video screen, that Veterans can justly say, "There is something that I did with my life… there is the proof of that very great thing that I did so long ago, in a land few people had ever heard of, and which mysteriously got into my heart

and has been with me ever since."

Instead of hauling firewood or ammunition or supplies up the hills on their backs, the sons and

grandsons of the Koreans we served with are building great towers in countries all over the world.

Perhaps the Veteran may see happy school chil-dren smiling and playing in the streets, or at work in their schools, maybe attired in nice clothing,

free and happy as cherished children can be.

Maybe he will see a distinguished older lady in her late seventies or early eighties, a child herself when he was in Korea and maybe when he was not much older. He may watch such as her walk with pride and happiness and approval of her country, or cast her vote perhaps, for somebody of her own choosing, and do it with safety and

anonymity and the privilege of hard won freedom.

The veteran should think that they are memorials to his own youth, too, and to that of his comrades who risked all for them,

and to those who gave all.

There are contrasts in Korea, as there are in all lands; great di-chotomies between the wealthy and those who need charity, di-verging political persuasions between left and right, diversity of religion, with temples, with cathedrals of all faiths, with mosques, with chapels, all nourished by the air and the pure water of hope

and of freedom.

Well Veteran, they may strike a special medal this year to com-

memorate you! What would you think of that?

But this year they will come!

Publisher: Vince Courtenay MSM, Advisory

Councilor

60th Anniversary of the Korean War

Commemoration Committee

This a/b article reprinted by kind permission of the Publisher of

Korean War Veteran (an Independent Newsletter)

Publisher..Vince Courtney MSM.

Branch members P. Poole and B. Edwards, served in Korea in 1951/1952.



THE WORLDS TALLEST BUILDINGTHE WORLDS TALLEST BUILDINGTHE WORLDS TALLEST BUILDINGTHE WORLDS TALLEST BUILDING

BURG KHALIFA DUBAIBURG KHALIFA DUBAIBURG KHALIFA DUBAIBURG KHALIFA DUBAI

Pictures courtesy..Public Domain..WWW



Grandma is eighty-eight years old and still drives her own car. She writes: Dear Editor, The other day I went up to our local Christian book store and saw a 'Honk if you love Jesus' bumper sticker.. I was feeling particularly sassy that day because I had just come from a thrilling choir performance, followed by a t hunderous prayer meeting.

So, I bought the sticker and put it on my bumper. B oy, am I glad I

did; what an uplifting experience that followed. I was stopped at a red light at a busy intersection , just lost in thought about the Lord and how good he is, and I di dn't notice that the light had changed. It is a good thing someone else loves Jesus because if he hadn't honked, I’d never have noticed. I found that lots of people love Jesus! While I was sitting there, the guy behind started h onking like crazy, and then he leaned out of his window and screamed, 'For the love of God!' 'Go! Go! Go! Jesus Christ, GO!' What an exuberant cheerleader he was for Jesus! Everyone started honking! I just leaned out my window and started waving and smiling at all those loving people. I even honked my horn a few times to share in the l ove! ; There must have been a man from Bondi back there be cause I heard him yelling something about a sunny beach. I saw another guy waving in a funny way with only h is middle finger stuck up in the air. I asked my young teenage grandson in the back seat what that meant.

He said it was probably a Kiwi good luck sign or so mething. Well, I have never met anyone from New Zealand so I leaned out the window and gave him the good luck sign right back. My grandson burst out laughing. Why even he was enjoying this religious experience! ! A couple of the people were so caught up in the joy of the moment that they got out of their cars and started walking towa rds me. I bet they wanted to pray or ask what church I atte nded, but this is when I noticed the light had changed. So, grinning, I waved at all my brothers and sister s, and drove on through the intersection. I noticed that I was the only car that got through the intersection before the light changed again and felt kind of sad that I had to leave them after all the love we had shared. So I slowed the car down, leaned out the window and gave them all the Kiwi good luck sign one last time as I drove away. Praise the Lord for such wonderful folks!! Will write again soon, Love, Grandma



December

Lunch Pics.



Pictured above are Elaine Jones, Pauline Griffiths, Brian Griffiths and Paul (Taff) Jones.

Elaine and Paul were our visitors at the luncheon from the Northern Ireland Branch.

Pictured opposite...Members and Partners attending the lunch.

Subject : The Value of a Drink

"Sometimes when I reflect back on all the wine I drink I feel shame. Then I look into the glass and think

about the workers in the vineyards and all of their hopes and dreams . If I didn't drink this wine, they might be out

of work and their dreams would be shattered. Then I say to myself, "It is better that I drink this wine and let their

dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver." ~ Jack Handy

"When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading."

~ Henny Youngman



Ahoy there

Join the CMP ….. For a life at sea!

My “Then and Now” item in a recent Branch News Letter, stirred up a few memories that did not make

it to print.

One such memory was about getting in some ‘sea time service ’, circa January 1946, when posted as Sec-

tion relief Driver to the 150 Provost Company Detachment in Middlesbrough -Yorks.

The marine experience started with a direction from the War Office for the Middlesbrough Section to contact the Smiths Dock Port Authority, and the Port Pilot at Redcar – Yorkshire Viz : Make arrange-ments to board the ship “ Fort Pine” by means of the Pilot launch ,- Rendezvous outside of the port’s har-bour bar, and take 2 stowaway members of the Cheshire Regt into custody before the ship enters har-bour .waters. It was thus arranged for a party of 4 CMP Redcaps to be at the Smiths Dock at 5pm to ac-

company the Pilot when boarding the ship. ….Quite simple really.

However, ( there’s always a however ) on arrival at 5 pm we were informed that the

“ Captain had got ‘lost’ in the Whitby Roads, ( bet you didn’t know the sea has Roads) on his way in, and would not arrive at the Pilot’s boarding position until 9-00 pm ”. At the same time the Pilot apologised for the fact that, “the normal pilot launch is in for repairs’ with a need to all “squash into the much smaller

standby boat”

Given that this was in freezing - blowing January, the later time meant that it would be pitch black dark at

9 o’clock out there, and the weather would be,well..

North of England January weather. !

We headed out with the Pilot in a boat that was reasonably steady in the water and nice and warm in it’s little saloon, until that is, when we crossed the harbour bar out to the open sea. ! Then it was a case of

holding on to your breakfast, and hoping your neighbour did the same.

At least the sardine tin arrangement of bodies in the salon prevented injuries.

The Coxswain did a good job of getting up to and keeping close to the rope ladder from the deck of the Fort Pine, dropped for us to board on the lee side when the ship slowed to a reduced speed. First to demonstrate how make the leap of hope and faith to grab the ladder, was the Pilot and the Apprentice

Pilot. Closely followed by our Corporal, myself and other 2 L/cps , all clad in greatcoats.

As I recall, the Corporal, ( in front of me ) sort of misjudged things , and finished up semi horizontal, - at full stretch,- hands grasping the ladder, - feet still on edge of launch, with me hanging on to him by his

greatcoat belt : Disaster was thus defeated.



We were conducted on to the ship’s bridge to meet the Captain, whose name I should never forget …Captain Jones, an authoritarian little Welshman who quickly instructed us in no uncertain terms , to what

the procedure was to be.

Firstly, we had to take possession of the 2 Stowaways before the ship entered harbour waters, otherwise the ship’s owners would be subject to heavy penalty for landing illegal entrants. With the stowaways being

without identity, we were to issue a receipt for “2 bodies” i.e not soldiers , men , names or stowaways.

We were to remove the said “bodies” from the ship immediately on docking, and quote - “I want shot of

them off my ship, do you hear”?

We were taken to the 2 men, ( 9 o’clock at night, on a freezing deck ) handcuffed to each other left hand to right hand , hard at work, with a paint brush each and a pot of red lead undercoat paint, and

wearing only a thin singlet and cast off shorts, teeth chattering like jackhammers.

“Please Corp, get us off this $%&*$#* ship into a nice warm cell” was the cry.

It was then that we heard their full story.

They were both 8th army men in Austria when they decided to go AWOL, but were caught and put into a local glasshouse from which they escaped, and made their way to Genoa in Northern Italy. From Genoa they stowed away on a ship going to Tunis, where they disembarked and made their way along to Algiers, where they stowed away on the “Fort Pine” which was loading with iron ore bound for the Dorman Long

Steelworks – at Smith Dock – Redcar. : An 8 day voyage. ?

They managed to hide themselves, 1 each end, inside the boiler of one of the ship’s donkey engines lo-cated on the deck, while foraging out at night to scrounge food and water. Being warm weather, they threw their army clothing away after stealing some drying clothing belonging to crew members : With not a pay book between them, all was well until some 4 days out, when the ship’s Donkey Fireman was de-

tailed to prepare the starboard side donkey engine boiler ready for cargo discharging , at end of voyage.

This was a stroke of bad luck for the 2 army tourists, it being the first time in over a year that loading or

unloading was to be done on the this side of the ship.

The Donkeyman’s story was that he opened the door at one end of the boiler, only to see a face looking up at him …causing him a nasty jolt.!….Opening the door at the other end of the boiler produced yet

another face …and another shock

Hauled before the curmudgeonly Captain Jones, our 2 culprits were told. “Anyone on my ship, and eating my ship’s food …. Works on my ship”! To Captain Jones, this meant a 12 hour day outside of meal times,

paid at a shilling per day as supernumerary crew in order to cover Lloyd’s insurance requirements.

The moment the gangway touched the dock, our little party was ordered ashore, not surprisingly without

so much as a Goodnight, or kiss my &^$# from Captain Jones.

Surely the records would show that no prisoners have ever run into a cell as fast as these 2!

Ron Jones



This is very cool piece of history...

You'll Never look at a MONOPOLY Game the same

Starting in 1941, an increasing number of British Airmen found themselves as the involuntary guests of the Third Reich, and the Crown was casting about for ways and means to facilitate their escape.. Now obvi-ously, one of the most helpful aids to that end is a useful and accurate map, one showing not only where stuff was, but also showing the locations of 'safe houses' where a POW on-the-lam could go for food and

shelter.

Paper maps had some real drawbacks -- they make a lot of noise when you open and fold them, they wear out rapidly, and if they get wet, they turn into mush.

Someone in MI-5 (similar to America's OSS) got the idea of printing escape maps on silk. It's durable, can be scrunched-up into tiny wads, and unfolded as many times as needed, and makes no noise whatsoever.

At that time, there was only one manufacturer in Great Britain that had perfected the technology of

printing on silk, and that was John Waddington, Ltd. When approached by the government, the firm was only too happy to do its bit for the war effort.

By pure coincidence, Waddington was also the U.K. Licensee for the popular American board game, Mo-nopoly. As it happened, 'games and pastimes' was a category of item qualified for insertion into 'CARE

packages', dispatched by the International Red Cross to prisoners of war.

Under the strictest of secrecy, in a securely guarded and inaccessible old workshop on the grounds of Waddington's, a group of sworn-to-secrecy employees began mass-producing escape maps, keyed to each

region of Germany or Italy where Allied POW camps were regional system).. When processed, these maps could be folded into such tiny dots that they would actually fit inside a Monopoly playing piece.

As long as they were at it, the clever workmen at Waddington's also managed to add:

1. A playing token, containing a small magnetic compass 2. A two-part metal file that could easily be screwed together

3. Useful amounts of genuine high-denomination German, Italian, and French currency, hidden within the piles of Monopoly money!

British and American air crews were advised, before taking off on their first mission, how to identify a 'rigged' Monopoly set -- by means of a tiny red dot, one cleverly rigged to look like an ordinary printing

glitch, located in the corner of the Free Parking square.

Of the estimated 35,000 Allied POWS who successfully escaped, an estimated one-third were aided in their flight by the rigged Monopoly sets.. Everyone who did so was sworn to secrecy indefinitely, since the British Government might want to use this highly successful ruse in still another, future war. The story wasn't declassified until 2007, when the surviving craftsmen from Waddington's, as well as the firm itself,

were finally honoured in a public ceremony. It's always nice when you can play that 'Get Out of Jail' Free' card!

I realize most of you are (probably) too young to have any personal connection to WWII (Dec. '41 to

Aug. '45), but this is still interesting.

Story verification: http://blogs.wsj.com/informedreader/2007/11/19/wwii-pows-perk-monopoly-with-real-money/



Whether you own a dog or not, you must appreciate the efforts

of this owner to sell her dog. Read the sales pitch!!!

Dog For Sale

Free to good home. Excellent guard dog. Owner cannot afford to

feed him anymore, as there are no more drug pushers, thieves,

murderers, or molesters left in the neighbourhood for him to

eat. Most of them knew him as 'Holyshit!'

MY LIVING WILL

Last night, my kids and I were sitting in the living room and I said to them, 'I never want

to live in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and fluids from a bottle. If that ever

happens, just pull the plug.'

They got up, unplugged the Computer, and threw out my wine.

They’re such asses ...

EXEMPLO DUCEMUS

RMPA

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

BRANCH

Page

CONTACT NUMBERS

OFFICE BEARERS Chairman: Brian Griffiths 9300 1551

Secretary: Geoff Harland 9276 7958

Treasurer: Steve O Connor 9401 2716

Welfare Officer: Eric Heath 9291 8962

Standard Bearer: John Elson 9455 1723

______________

______________

Newsletter Editor: Bryan Edwards 9306 4526

Mobile: 0401 821 792

Email: [email protected]



LATE NEWS AND TITTLE TATTLE

A smile is a sign of joy.A smile is a sign of joy.A smile is a sign of joy.A smile is a sign of joy. A hug is a sign of love. A laugh is a sign of happiness.A hug is a sign of love. A laugh is a sign of happiness.A hug is a sign of love. A laugh is a sign of happiness.A hug is a sign of love. A laugh is a sign of happiness.

And a friend like me???And a friend like me???And a friend like me???And a friend like me???

Hell, that's just a sign of good taste!!!Hell, that's just a sign of good taste!!!Hell, that's just a sign of good taste!!!Hell, that's just a sign of good taste!!!

New Members Ian Dixon

Welcome to our latest member Ian Dixon.

Many of us will of course know of Ian through his

website “redcap70”

Ian started this site in September 2001.

Originally he set it up to relate his experiences as a conscripted National Serviceman sent for

training at Inkerman Barracks.

Little did Ian know what he had started.

It grew and grew as a site where more and more ex Red Caps contacted him to relate their

experiences.

Today the site is an interesting site with massive archives of the personnel who served with the

Royal Military Police.

The site is full of pictures and stories which will touch the memories of all who served in the

Corps.

The site can be visited by following the link

www.redcap70 .net

George Woodall

Latest member from the UK.

_________________________________________________________

♦ Picnic at Whiteman Park...12.Noon 28th March

♦ Anzac Parade and Lunch 25th April.

Welcome again to our overseas and interstate visitors during the forthcoming weeks,\.

Welcome also to our latest members Ian Dixon and George Woodall.

———————————————————————-

The handing over of the “Coveted Plate” which will be played for at the Help for Heroes picnic at Whiteman Park, in the In-

ternational cricket match between Australia and England.

(Impartial umpire Geoff Harland accepting the trophy.)

western australia - redcap70.net newsletter march 2010.pdfcoming visitors rab & jenny peattie...

Documents